Here in the centre stand the glass.  Light
Is the lion that comes down to drink. There
And in that state, the glass is a pool.
Ruddy are his eyes and ruddy are his claws
When light comes down to wet his frothy jaws.
-- Wallace Stevens, "The Glass of Water"

The pride of lions -- stone and otherwise -- in Venice numbers in the thousands. For centuries the king of the beasts has served as the emblem of Italy’s gem of the sea. Lions are proud, regal, and powerful creatures -- all characteristics of Venice past and present. But the roots of Venice’s most prevalent symbol are tangled in religious tradition.
Because until more recent centuries most people were illiterate, symbols were used to signify the important figures in the Bible and to help tell the important stories about these people.

To read more and to see the photo slideshow of lions in Venice, check out my home blog:

http://www.gypsysguide.com/2009/10/photo-friday-lion-of-venice.html

Ciao!